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Mission2go > Kayaking
These three items are what you need get started kayaking on relatively small, calm waters. When you're ready for larger and rougher waters you'll want to add other kayaking accessories such as a spray skirt, bilge pump, paddle float, etc. Choosing a Kayak The first step in choosing a kayak is to envision how you will use your kayak the majority of the time. Will you primarily kayak on small protected calm waters? Do you want to kayak some rivers with your new boat? Are the rivers fast moving or slow moving? Will you want to load your kayak with camping gear and head out for a few days? Once you have thought through these questions, you are ready to set your budget and start shopping for a new kayak. Kayak Design Theory Here are a few general rules in kayak design (with plenty of exceptions I'm sure): A longer boat is more efficient than a shorter boat. A longer kayak of equal width cuts through the water at a gentler angle than a shorter kayak of the same width. Thus, the kayak will not "plow" through the water and will create less drag. The longer boat also has more resistance to a side to side motion (yaw) caused by each paddle stroke. Therefore, more energy is transferred in to forward motion. A narrow boat is more efficient that a wider boat of the same length. If you think of the water having to separate at the front of the kayak and come back together at the rear of the kayak, you'll realize it takes less energy to move that water a shorter distance and you will create less friction (drag) in the process. Initial stability is the initial resistance to tipping provided by a kayak, or the tendency of the kayak to return to it's initial level position. Secondary stability is the design element that allows you to place and hold the kayak in any given position. For example, the ability to lean the kayak on it's side and the keep it in the water at that angled position. Secondary stability is important for leaning turns and staying upright in large waves or rapids. While there are hundreds of variations in kayak designs, most kayaks can be separated into several large categories. The big categories are
Recreational Kayaks Most recreational kayaks are relatively short (9ft - 13ft), have larger cockpits for easy entry and exit, and have wider hulls designed to maximize initial stability and straight tracking. These features make recreational kayaks the most popular category for new kayakers. Recreational kayaks are also preferred by many people who will use their kayak as a platform for other activities such as fishing or bird watching. Many of the larger recreational kayaks have a dry storage compartment in the rear of the kayak which makes them suitable for packing enough gear for an overnight or day trip. This sealed dry storage compartment also gives an extra measure of safety in case of capsize making the boats acceptable for larger bodies of calm water. Touring Kayaks Touring kayaks are usually 14ft - 18ft long, have smaller cockpits with integrated thigh braces, and have sealed dry storage compartments in both the front and back. These boats are designed for efficient paddling, straight tracking, and solid secondary stability. The design of touring kayaks make them safer for use on large bodies of water with rough waves. Most touring kayaks have either a skeg or steerable rudder to assist with straight tracking in high wind conditions. Whether to get a boat with a skeg or a rudder is one of those arguments that will never be settled and is fiercely argued by passionate people on both sides of the argument. My advice is that you want one or the other, if the boat you are interested in has the option of a rudder or no rudder on the same boat, get the rudder. Touring kayaks are often referred to as sea kayaks, the two are pretty much synonymous though some might argue that "sea kayak" refers to those boats best suited for handling the largest waves. White Water Kayaks Unlike recreational or touring kayaks, white water kayaks are designed primarily for maneuverability rather than for straight tracking. As such, the boats are generally short (less than 9ft) and have no keel along the hull. For this reason whitewater boats do not perform well on slow moving water when trying to get from point A to point B. Whitewater kayaks are also designed to handle much higher crush loads than other boats. This is important when the rushing water has your boat pinned up against a large bolder. The two basic white water kayak designs are creek/river boats that are designed for river running and play boats which are designed to hang out in one set of rapids and "play" in the same area for a while. Don't get Overwhelmed Choosing a Kayak Design Choose a kayak that will perform best for your most common style of paddling. Don't get caught up trying to find a kayak that will work in every possible paddling situation you might want to try. Get a boat you will use often and develop your kayaking skills. You can always add a second kayak to the fleet when you're ready to try a new style of kayaking. Kayak Prices Ranges Roto-molded recreational kayaks - $350 -
$750 Roto-molded day touring kayaks - $800 - $1200 Roto-molded whitewater kayak- $700 - $1200 Roto-molded sit-on-top fishing kayak - $400 - 900 The three things that really determine the cost of a kayak are how much material is needed (more material = more expensive), what material is used (roto-molded plastic cost less than thermo-molded plastic which costs less than composites), and outfitting (better and more seats, tie downs, hatch covers, etc = more expensive). Kayak Paddles Before you start shopping for a new kayak paddle, you will need to know what kayak you intend to buy and what type of paddling you will do the majority of the time. When you are choosing a kayak paddle, you are basically choosing the motor for your boat, so the type of kayak you need to power has a large bearing on your kayak paddle buying decision. Paddle Length Most new kayakers hope for an easy formula that will tell them exactly what length of kayak paddle to buy. Unfortunately, no such formula exists. The majority of kayakers end up using a 220cm to 230cm length paddle. Some use as short as a 200cm paddle and some as long as 240cm. Here are some factors that play into your paddle length decision.
Paddle Blade A basic kayak paddle blade is flat and symmetrical. Most of the better paddles have a least one of two improved features. The first feature is an asymmetrical design where the top of the paddle blade is longer than the bottom of the paddle blade. This design feature causes the paddle blade to enter the water more consistently and results in the full paddle blade being submerged during your stroke. Torque and flutter are reduced in the paddle blade resulting in a more efficient stroke and less stress on your joints. The second feature found in most of the better recreational and touring paddles is a curved power face. By adding a slight rearward curve to the kayak paddle blade, the paddle takes a better "bite" of the water and is more efficient during your forward stroke. Because the power face makes the paddle a little less efficient in a backstroke, white water paddle designers are less likely to incorporate this design feature as a backstroke is much more common while white water kayaking. Paddle Shaft There are two primary styles of paddle shafts, straight shafts and bent shafts. There is a never ending argument about this design feature that I won't try to solve in this article. The idea of the bent shaft is that the bends in the shaft align your wrists for a more natural movement and reduce the stress on your joints. My suggestion is to start out with a straight shaft paddle and work on developing a good paddling technique. Then sometime later, try a bent shaft paddle to see if you like the feel. I very happy with my Adventure Technology bent shaft ergonomic touring paddle. However, bent shaft paddles are more expensive and I sometimes wonder if it is not just the fact of paying more that makes it seem better? Another design factor found in many kayak paddle shafts is indexing. Paddles shafts that are indexed are slightly out of round. This shape makes the shaft fit more naturally in your hand and makes it easy to "feel" the orientation of your paddle blade. All but the cheapest kayak paddles have indexed shafts. Blade Feather Most kayak paddle blades can be feathered 45dg - 60deg in order to reduce the wind resistance on the forward moving blade while it is out of the water. This blade feature creates paddles that are designed for either neutral, right hand, or left hand control. Right or left hand control refers to which hand you use to rotate the blade angle throughout your paddle stroke. Any competent salesmen can show you how this works much easier that I can explain it with words. Kayak Paddle Materials The materials used in a kayak paddle effect both the price and performance of a new kayak paddle. Some common materials used in kayak paddles (generally from least to most expensive) are: Paddle Shafts:
Paddle Blades:
Generally, more advanced (more expensive) materials are used to reduce weight while maintaining or even increasing strength. The longer you intend to paddle the more you will appreciate weight saving materials in your kayak paddle. A few ounces makes little difference for a quick trip around the pond, but over 10,000 strokes on an kayak expedition it will make a huge difference Buying the Paddle As you can see, there are many factors to consider when choosing a new kayak paddle. Ask your dealer about these design features and insist on a salesperson who can give you answers that produce confidence before making a purchase. Whenever you get a chance, take the opportunity to test out a new paddle before you buy, whether at a kayak demo event or just by borrowing your buddies paddle for a few hours. You should plan to spend a minimum of $60 on a kayak paddle. While there are plenty of paddles available for $45 or less, those paddles are best suited for young kids, youth groups, and rental fleets where the paddle will likely be abused or lost. When you jump to the $65 - $85 range for a kayak paddle you'll get significant improvements such as shaped paddle blades and lighter weight materials. In the $125 - $165 range you are getting a very good paddle made with strong yet light weight materials and advanced blade design. This is the price range you should expect for a paddle that compliments your touring kayak well. Top of the line kayak paddles go for $200 - $400. These paddles incorporate design elements such as an ergonomic bent shaft, extremely light swing weight (the weight of the paddle outside your hands), and advanced composite materials. While you wouldn't spend this much just to paddle your recreational kayak every once in a while, these kayak paddles are worth the price on long trips when you'll be making thousands and thousands of paddle strokes per day. Personal Flotation Device (PFD) Prices for PFDs range from $25 for a Stearns all purpose life vest available from Wal-Mart, to $150 for paddling specific vests from manufacturers like Kokatat and Stohlquist that are usually only available at outdoor and kayak specialty shops. While any Coast Guard approved life vest will keep you afloat, the better PFDs provide a more comfortable fit, accessory pockets, more durable materials, etc. I recommend that you fork over at least $50 for a decent fitting, paddle sport specific PFD. Kayak Accessories Like any sport, there are plenty of accessories to make your kayaking more enjoyable, safer, and capable. Some of these accessories include spray skirts, bilge pumps, paddle floats, water proof cases, etc. For a recreational kayaker, an extra $100 will probably get you the few extras you really want. $250 - $400 is probably more reasonable for a sea kayaker to become well outfitted. Get Started Kayaking If you live near water, there is probably a kayak store that has demo days or does rentals. That might be the best way to jump in and see if you enjoy the sport. Like many sports, a little money spent on instruction can go a long way in your enjoyment as well. Kayaking definitely is a great way to get outside for some healthy adventure and enjoy the world God created. |
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